Tommy Fletcher finished on the wrong side of a split decision at the England Boxing National Youth Championships last Friday.

QUARTER-FINAL DEFEAT: Attleborough’s Tommy Fletcher (red) in action at the England Boxing National Youth Championships, where he bowed out in the quarter-finals Picture: Andy Chubb

The Attleborough Boxing Club fighter was beaten by Gosport’s Mateusz Bereznicki in the quarter-finals of the Youth Under-81kg category.

Fletcher, from Hockwold, had stepped up a weight to box his opponent at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, in Banbury, and qualified for the event after winning the Eastern Counties title a few weeks earlier.

But the 17-year-old’s bid for an English title fell short at the first hurdle, as his opponent, a tall and rangy boxer, secured a split decision victory, and afterwards said it was one of his best-ever wins.

“I think that would have to rank as one of my best wins, if not number one, and I’m so pleased with my performance,” Bereznicki told the England Boxing website.

“I’ve just boxed someone who is pretty much my height, 6ft 6ins, and I’ve never boxed someone like that before.”

Fletcher’s conqueror, Bereznicki, saw his title challenge come to an end the following day in the semi-finals.

The Gosport boxer lost by a unanimous decision to James Metcalf, of Ingle’s, who would go on to claim the title on the Sunday.

Metcalf defeated Stoke Staffs boxer Josh Martin by a split decision to be crowned an English champion in the Youth Under-81kg category.